Mail-chute.



A. K. SMITH.

MAIL CHUTE.

APPLICATION FILED IIIAYzs, 1910.

1,145,444. Patented July 6, 17915.

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ARTHUR K. SIVIIIH, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO CUTLER MAIL CHUTE COMPANY, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEWYORK.

MAIL-CHUTE.

Specioaton of Letters Patent.

Patented July 6,1915.

Application led May 26, 1910. Serial No. 563,584.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR K. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis, Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Mail-Chutes, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a front elevational view of part of a mail chute section. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail view of the locking device.

This invention relates to a new and useful improvement in mail chutes, the object being to so construct the chute that access may be had to the interior for the purpose of repair or to remove any obstructions in the chute.

Another object of my invention is to provide a simple locking device to lock the front panel of the chute to the main body thereof.

With these objects in view the invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the several parts, all of which will be herein described and afterward pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings 1 indicates generally a mail chute section it being understood that a number of these sections are attached together to form the entire chute, and that these sections are suitably attached to or fastened in the vertical walls of the building in which the chute is to be installed. It is to be also understood that one of these sections on each floor of the building is to have a suitable aperture therein through which mail matter may be passed.

Each section comprises a sheet metal piece with the ends bent at right angles to the body thereof to form a back wall 2 and side walls 3 and 4. Attached to the side walls 3 and 4 throughout their entire length are bent strips of metal 5 and 6 bent in the form shown in Fig. 2, the ends of which form stops 7 and 8. Back of these strips 5 and v6 at suitable points along the side walls 3 and 4 are attached spring strips 9 and 10, by rivets or otherwise. These strips are suitably bent to have formed therein seats 11 and 12 of suitable width to receive a glass or plate panel 13, when brought into contact with the stops 7 and 8.

Upon the outside of the side wall 3 at suitable intervals are attached hinges 14 and 15. Fastened to the loose wing of these hinges 14 and 15 is a rectangular frame 16 of brightly polished brass or other suitable material. This frame is of the same width and length as the main body of the chute 2.

Suitably attached to the frame at either side are strips of metal 17 and 18 continuing throughout the length of the section of the chute, and forming complementary stops 19 and 20 to the stops 7 and 8. This construction allows the glass panel 13 to be properly clamped and held in place by the spring members 11 and 12, and the coperating stop members 7 andy 8, and 19 and 20.

Riveted to the frame 16 at the side thereof opposite the hinged connection is a strip of metal 21 having a projection 22 at one edge thereof, this strip 21 being arranged to pass inside the body of the chute between the walls 3 and 4.

Pivoted on the pin 23 in the wall 4 of the chute is the locking lug or key 24 having key seats 25 on opposite sides thereof for the purpose of engaging the projection 22 on the strip 21. This locking key 24 is placed, therefore, inside the chute section. On the pin 23 at the outside of the chute is attached an arm 26 having at the bottom thereof a projecting lug 27 with an opening 28. Below the projection 27 -on the arm 26 when said arm is in horizontal position is a cooperating bracket 29 suitably fastened to the side wall 4 having a lug 30 complementarily placed to the lug 27 with an opening therein. Within the openings in the lugs 27 and 30 may be placed a padlock 31 or other locking devices.

By referring to Figs. 2 and 3 it is easily seen that the proper authority may control the opening of the mail chute, and that when it is necessary to clean, repair or remove any obstruction from the chute, all ythat is necessary is to unlock the padlock 31, move the arm 26 to a vertical position thereby removing the key seat 25 from the projection 22 on the strip 21, and allowing the frame 16 to f be opened on its hinges 14 and 15. The glass panel 13 which is held in position in the spring seats 11 and 12 may then be removed and access directly to the interior of ico` the chute be obtained. ln order to close the chute it is only necessary to reverse these operations.

I am aware that minor changes may be made in the construction, arrangement and combination of the several parts of my improved mail chute without in the least departing from the nature and principle of my invention.

l claim:

l. A mail chute having back and side Walls, a front plate, stops engaging the front and back of said front plate and resilient means attached to each side wall independently of said stops, said means being free at the outer edges and adapted to engage the side edges of the front plate independently of the beforementioned stops, to hold it in position and to yield to permit its removal.

2. A. mail chute having back and side walls, a spring member attached to each side wall, a front plate or panel held between said spring members, and a frame hinged to one side wall inclosing the `front plate.

3. A mail chute having back and side walls, a stop attached to each side wall, a plate adapted to bear against the stops, and a frame hinged to one side wall having stops attached thereto to engage the plate on the opposite side thereof from the first mentioned stops.

4;. A mail chute having back and side walls, stop members connected with each side wall, a front plate bearing against said stop members, and a frame hinged to one side wall, said frame having stops to engage the plate in opposition to the stop members on the side walls.

5. A. mail chute having back and side walls, stops on the side walls, a removable panel adapted to engage the stops, and re silient panel-retaining devices secured to the side walls and having their outer free pon tions detachably engaging and holding the panel against the stops, in combination with a frame hinged to one of the side walls of the chute and having stops engaging the outer face of the panel to secure it against the stationary stops and lrey locking devices for securing the free edge of the frame,

ln testimony whereof I hereunto allX my signature in the presence of two witnesses, this 18th day of May, 1910.

ARTHUR K. SMTH.

Witnesses:

M. P. SMITH, J. W. CLIFT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

